Machismo refers to prominent or excessive masculinity. Machista and machismo derive from the Spanish word macho, meaning manly (the word literally signifies male but is used primarily with animals in this sense). The most common Spanish term for a woman with exaggerated feminine pride is feminista (as in feminist), although a few authors have used the female counterpart of macho, in the literal sense, as hembra: "Yo soy muy macho, pero tú eres muy hembra" (I am very macho, but you are very hembra). Both feminista and hembra are widely used words in modern Spanish.

Machismo ranges from a personal sense of virility to masculism. Quite contrary to feminism, most Machistas believe in conservative gender role ideas. Men holding this view are called indistinctly machistas or machos. Macho can also mean courageous or valorous, but not necessarily machista.

Generally speaking, machistas doubt women's rights to work, play sports or perform at other, traditionally male-dominated areas. Many machistas also believe it is their right as men to cheat on their wives, but their wives cannot in turn cheat on them. Machistas often would say that women were made to stay at home and be mothers and wives. Most machistas also believe firmly in the superiority of men over women, and are against homosexuality.

Some acts of domestic violence against women have been committed by men who consider themselves superior to women, therefore being considered as machista.

Machism around the world

Machism is not only a feature of Hispanic culture. Depending on the county, machistas are viewed with respect or disdain. In Mexico, for example, many men consider it an honor to be called a machista. Actor Andres Garcia has always been pointed out as a typical example of the Mexican machista man. In Peru, talk show host Laura Bozzo spends a good number of her shows exposing machista men. In these countries, the wife retains her maiden name.

Many view the dominance of men in many cultures in the Muslim world as a manifestation of machismo, and also the refusal of the Catholic church to allow women Popes, priests and so on.

A memorable example of machismo in literature comes in the form of Stanley Kowlaski , the villain of Tennessee Williams' A Sreetcar Named Desire . In the play, Stanley epitomises the hyper-masculine alpha male, socially and physically dominating and imposing on his wife and her sister, along with their small social group. Bound up with Stanley's aggressive and occasionally misogynist views is a strong sense of pride and honour which leads to his hatred of the main character, Blanche Dubois .

See also

• Black Legend
• Latin lover